New Beginnings
by Kazbot
Summary: Set the morning of We Just Decided To (1x01) when Mac is deciding whether or not to take the job at ACN.
1. Chapter 1

As Mac stepped off her flight from Washington, the cool Chicago weather enveloped her. She could not be sure if it was the breeze or the knowledge that in less than two hours, she would be sitting in the same room with the man whose heart she had broken three years earlier.

The drive to Northwestern seemed particularly long. Mac was beginning to regret coming. What the heck was she thinking? But she knew that if she could get through this, maybe, just maybe she could handle working with him. The offer was there. Charlie Skinner from ACN had called her numerous times since she returned from Afghanistan. He wanted _her_ to produce News Night. He told her time and time again that he missed watching the news. That what he wanted to watch would not and could not happen without her.

Mac wondered if she could handle being in such close proximity to Will McAvoy. Her guilt had eaten at her since the first time she was with Brian. Even working in the Middle East had not helped eased her guilt. She spent countless nights lying awake trying to push the images of Will out of her mind. What he looked like after she told him. His cheeks smeared with tears, his eyes swollen and red. She could not forget. Every time she cried, she still saw his face. Then she would remember how perfect their time together had been. Nothing could help her forget what she had done to him. She tried to apologise to him, to try and begin to make it up to him. He never returned her emails or the one call she tried to make after being stabbed. This was not just about whether she could handle being near Will. What if he did not want her there? Could she handle that rejection again? She knew the weight Will carried at the network. He may be the anchor, but with his ratings he had quite a lot of pull. Would she be able to handle the rejection again?

"Ms McHale?"

Mac shook the thought out of her head.

"Yes, sorry, I was …."

"This is Northwestern. Call when the panel finishes and I will be around to pick you up."

"Thank you very much."

Mac was flustered but tried to keep her cool. She enjoyed having a private driver today. She was getting lost in her thoughts and was in no state to wait for a cab. She picked up her folder and clutch and headed toward the building. She was secretly glad she could blend into the crowd. Her height made this easier and for once she was grateful she wasn't wearing heels. She headed into the auditorium and found a seat at the back of the theatre. Within minutes, every seat was taken and the lights dimmed.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it is with great pleasure that I am here to introduce the panellists for today's discussion. Please welcome Sharon Matthews, Lewis Riley and Will McAvoy."

Mac found herself enthralled in how inconspicuous Will had become. He does not admit to anything, side with anything. When they read the quote that compares him to Leno, Mac smirks. Will makes a witty remark about audience numbers but Mac knows this is to cover the fact that he _wants_ to bother people. Mac knows which side Will takes. She knows him better than anyone. Three years on and she is willing to wager that that has not changed. But then a question changes everything.

"Hi, I'm Jenny and I'm a sophomore. In one sentence or less, you know what I mean. Could you say why America is the greatest country in the world?"

"Diversity and opportunity."  
"Freedom and freedom."

"The New York Jets."

Mac knew that was not what he wanted to say. She knew his reasons. Remembering her folder, she took out a marker and wrote what she would say if she was in his ear. She knew he could see what she had written. With a nudge from the host, Will reawakened. Her presence was enough to disorientate him. He could not be sure it was her, but he was not certain that it wasn't. More prompting from the host and Will launched into a powerful speech about why America is not the greatest country in the world. He shocked everyone in the audience; everyone except for Mac. He had done exactly what she knew he would. She could read him like a book and proved to herself that she could handle the role at ACN.

She made a mental note to call Jim as soon as the panel was over. If she was moving to New York, he was coming with her. It would be hard enough to be around Will again, but to have to do it without Jim? That was just unimaginable. She was not leaving her friend behind. There were three men in the world whom Mac loved. Jim was like a brother to her and having to train a new senior producer? How horrifying, Mac thought.

Once the panel had finished, Mac sat in the silence of the auditorium while the college students dispersed. She had to be sure. If she was going to move, and make Jim move with her, then she had to be sure. After a few minutes, she was. It would be hard, but the show would become something they would all be proud of. Screw the ratings, Mac thought. The news is the news. It was time to accept Charlie Skinner's offer.

Mac left the theatre and called her driver. Once she was on her way back to the airport, she called Charlie.

"Charlie, this is Mackenzie McHale. I would like to accept the EP position for News Night at ACN. And I want to bring my own senior producer."

Mac hoped Charlie wouldn't hear the fear in her voice.

"You may need to bring more than just your senior producer. I want a new team for this. After Don and Elliott move to the later slot, I suspect many of Will's team will follow. He hasn't exactly been pleasant to be around these past few years."

Guilt ripped right through her body. Of course he hasn't been pleasant. I broke him. He's the love of my life and I broke him.

"I will make some calls and see who I can get."

"Great, I will call in a few days with more details. Thank you Mackenzie."

"Thank you, Charlie."

Mac hung up the phone and wondered how she could get Jim to agree to move to New York. She could play the sympathy card, but Jim doesn't know what happened with Will. She'd figure it out on the flight back to Washington.


	2. Chapter 2

He didn't realise it was so late until his phone rang. Jim looked startled as he wasn't expecting a call, especially at this hour. He'd spoken to his parents not four hours ago and the only other person that called him these days was Mac. He wondered why she was calling him at this hour.

"Mac, what's happened?!"

"Why does something have to have happened?"

Jim could see her face pretending to be insulted whilst trying not to smile.

"Fine. What has happened is we've been offered positions at ACN to produce News Night. And I really, really want you to come to New York with me."

Jim was flabbergasted. They had only been back from Afghanistan for two weeks and ACN calls and wants them to produce News Night? Surely she's kidding, Jim thought.

"Are you serious? You're not just pretending they want us to get me to move to New York with you?

"James Harper! How could you think I would joke about this? No, I'm serious. Charlie Skinner has been offering me the EP position since the day we got back. I had no idea what I was going to do until today. I rang him to accept and I told him I wanted to bring my SP. He said most certainly and to bring as many others as we can. Apparently the current team are moving to 10pm and he wants us to convince our team to come too."

"For real, Mac? Charlie Skinner wants us?" There was a brief pause before Jim realised.  
"Wait, News Night with Will McAvoy? After what happened with him today?"

Damn it, Mac thought. She was hoping he hadn't seen the video yet.

"Yes, well, I may have had something to do with that… Look, it won't be for a few of weeks but,"

"You _may_ have had something to do with it?"

"I may have been the reason behind it…"

"Mac!"

"Look, I will explain it all to you in the morning over coffee. Meet me at Royal Diner at 11?"

"Sure thing. Night Mac."

"Good night Jim."

* * *

True to style, both Mac and Jim arrived at the diner at 10.50 and took their favourite table by the window. They ordered coffee and Mac explained everything that had happened the day before. Try as she might, she just could not tell him about Will. She deliberated for much of the previous night but decided against it for now.

"Okay, okay. Let me get this striaght. Yesterday, you went to Chicago, went to the panel at Northwestern, produced Will's crazy rant - which has gone viral by the way, accepted the EP spot and, on my behalf, the SP position?"

Mac was biting her bottom lip and giving him the best puppy dog eyes she could. He never stood a chance. Jim loved her like a sister and would have gone anywhere if she was going. Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq! New York is really not such a big deal compared to what they have already been through. Jim stared out at the mid-morning pedestrians rushing about on the street. There were not too many, but he supposed he best get used to them.

"When do we leave Mac?"

Mac grinned from ear to ear. He hadn't seen her smile like that in the longest time. He wasn't sure what had happened with her and Will, but knew Mac well enough to leave it at that. He trusted her and if he needed to know, she would tell him.

The next two weeks passed in a blur. They spent countless hours apartment hunting, booking removalists, packing, organising utilities to be hooked up and the rest of the duties that come with moving. They had managed to convince 4 others to come with them; a couple of bookers, an associate producer and an editor. Hopefully that was enough, Mac thought.

Moving day arrived in a flash. As Mac stood in her now empty apartment, she looked around and was overcome with a wave of emotions. She was excited to be heading back to New York but terrified at the same time. She was looking forward to being back in the studio, it was far less dangerous than being in a war zone. Although, depending on Will's mood on any given day, it could feel very similar. Surely after a relaxing, albeit forced, holiday and time to come to terms with all the new changes he would be okay. She assured herself it would be and text Jim to make sure he was ready to leave.

A few streets away, Jim was doing the exactly the same thing. As he stood in his doorway he wondered what New York would bring. It had been a long time since they'd been in a newsroom, let alone one with Will McAvoy in it. He wasn't particularly attached to this apartment; he hadn't exactly had the chance to spend too much time in it. But he would miss Washington. He felt his phone go off in his in pocket and quickly snapped out of his thoughts. It was Mac asking if he was ready to go. He closed the door to his apartment and called her as he headed for the elevator.

**A/N - Sorry this is a bit short. The next chapter will be longer :)**


End file.
